Signs your child should visit a speech and language therapist

Developmental issues often emerge when children begin learning to speak. Professional support can really help in meeting these struggles head on.

All children are unique and develop different skills at different rates. Hearing your little one’s first words is one of the most exciting milestones for parents. However, some kids struggle in this area and might need some extra help. Whether it’s a delay in saying their initial words or issues around pronouncing letters or words properly, it’s important not to panic and to see that there are steps you can take to help your pride and joy work through this difficulty.

Thankfully, the stigma around speech impediments is fading and society generally accepts that this is just another aspect of childhood development that some need a little helping hand with. Let’s take a closer look at the ins and outs of speech and language therapy.

What is a speech and language therapist?

Speech and language therapists (SLTs) look at speech from a variety of angles, taking linguistics, physiology, psychology and neurology into account. If your child has any kind of issue speaking, then an SLT is worth a visit. These therapists often have a gentle approach that helps children to overcome their struggles and diffuse any anxiety they may be experiencing around it. It’s also good to be aware that while early intervention can make this journey much more manageable, SLTs are very skilled and can help kids of different ages tackle their speech issues.

Signs to look for

There are a few things you can keep an eye on when it comes to the development of your child’s speech. If your little one displays any of these, consider visiting an SLT for a consultation.

Difficulty with certain sounds

One tell-tale sign that kids might need some help from an SLT is when they struggle to articulate certain sounds. This often presents itself in saying vowels – you might notice that your little one uses the same sound when trying to pronounce different vowels. Otherwise, it can also appear as omission of parts of words, almost like they are skipping over sections of the words that they find it harder to pronounce. Early on, this can just be a period of figuring things out but if it continues, then it might be a good idea to bring your child to an SLT.

Stuttering

Up to ten percent of children experience some form of stuttering when learning to speak. The root cause of stuttering is still unknown, although experts believe it’s a result of neurological processing issues. You might notice your little one beginning to stutter when they get to the stage of putting together small sentences. It can be a repeated sound at the start of a word or a long pause as your little one strains to utter the next word. Either way, it’s an uncomfortable situation for any child and parents should try to recruit a professional as soon as possible.

Social struggles

Some children struggle socially due to shyness and sometimes this shyness is born out of an insecurity around speech ability. If little ones are quick to isolate themselves from others, or very hesitant to speak to those around them, it could be an early indicator of a speech issue that is yet to fully present. In this case, it’s possible that your child feels the difficulty within but hasn’t spoken enough yet for it to be obvious to you. It’s always better to be safe than sorry, so consider a chat with an SLT.

Limited vocabulary

Vocabulary milestones are a straightforward measure to see if your little one might be finding some part of speech development challenging. Usually, at eighteen months of age, children can say over twenty words, and this rises to over fifty words for two year olds. Anything less than this can be cause for concern. SLTs work with children with a range of issues relating to speech and language, and issues leading to a limited vocabulary is one of these.

Comprehension issues

Beyond the age of two, your little one should be able to understand simple statements. If it seems to you that they are struggling to understand what you mean, then it might be that there are broader comprehension issues at play. SLTs are trained to assist with cognitive or psychological problems that may be resulting in your child finding it hard to follow your words.

If in doubt, check it out

Raising a child can be a stressful experience, full of worries about whether or not they’re hitting milestones and developing as they should be. Speech and language therapists cover a huge range of issues that affect kids and may be impeding their growth. For anything from stuttering, all the way to cognitive or neurological obstacles that are challenging your little one, consider booking an appointment with an SLT near you.

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